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Guest post by: Marc Weiner Become an Author

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It is becoming increasingly challenging to convert prospects into customers. When you fail to cultivate the trust and understanding essential to sales you will lose your prospects to others and remain an outsider. Extensive research has uncovered key traits of all top sales achievers and these traits are the exact characteristics you'll want to continue working on to improve your own sales. These eight skills are part of your "inner game" of sales and will make all the difference in producing positive results.

1. I understand my customer's business and also my customer's customers.
   
   You may understand your business but it is just as important to understand your customer's or client's business. It's even more important to know who your client's customers are because ultimately your products or services will be used to retain and satisfy them. It is essential to support the efforts your clients have in their business.
2. I am my customer's advocate within my own company.
   
   This is true whether you are an individual or you are part of a business because to be a trusted partner you need to be viewed by them as their advocate. When your customers know that you are working for their best interests it increases their trust and they will rely on you to give them the best advice for their particular needs.
3. I use questioning strategies and deep listening skills to stay attuned to my customers.
   
   As your customer's situation changes over time and it will, don't continue to relate to them as you did last year. What worked in the past might not work today. You need to stay tuned in to your customers if you want to help them drive that car along their roadmap to success.
   
   Having this trait will put you in the position of a trusted advisor which is a much more powerful position than simply being a sales person. When your prospects and customers feel heard they are much more likely to consider you a person to turn to when they're ready to make buying decisions.
4. In social situations I understand and meet the expectations of others.
   
   When you're in a social situation, a networking situation or meeting with someone make sure that you are actually paying attention to them at all times. You should always be attuned to what is going on around you. How you act and are perceived in a social situation says a lot about how you act in a business relationship.
5. I understand non-verbal signals and use this skill during customer interactions.
   
   During social interactions our bodies give off over 1 million signals that are subconsciously picked up by everyone with whom we interact. The ability to manage your own non-verbal signals and correctly interpret your prospect's or customers non-verbal signals is a vital skill.
6. I feel compassion for others and act to help meet their needs.
   
   Compassion is tied to empathy and having empathy enhances your listening skills. All buying decisions are ultimately emotional decisions, so the more your prospect or customer feels that you understand their challenges the more likely they are to ask your opinion on purchasing decisions.
7. I present myself effectively to others.
   
   The key word here is effectively. If you are communicating with somebody and they are not receiving the message, then you are not presenting yourself effectively.
8. I use my influencing skills effectively.
   
   It is important to go beyond your prospects or clients immediate needs, you also need to inspire them. Inspiration can come from the quality of your products and services and from being true to yourself. If you represent yourself honestly and stay faithful to who you are, then you will be a trustworthy person to everyone around you and inspire others to do the same.

If you feel like you could improve in one or more of these areas then I encourage you to choose the areas you'd like to work on and focus on them during your calls this week.

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